Exploring Titan's Subsurface Ocean
Researchers, led by Antonin Affholder and Peter Higgins, have developed a realistic scenario for potential life on Titan, focusing on its unique organic content and subsurface ocean, estimated to be as deep as 300 miles.
Their study utilizes bioenergetic modeling to suggest that Titan could harbor simple, microscopic lifeforms that consume organic material, but the overall biomass would be limited to a few pounds.
The Role of Fermentation and Glycine
The research centers on fermentation, a metabolic process that doesn’t require oxygen, as a plausible energy source for Titan's potential microbes, akin to some of Earth's earliest life forms.
By focusing on glycine, the simplest amino acid, the team found that only a small fraction of Titan's organic material might be suitable for microbial consumption, challenging previous assumptions about Titan's habitability.